Multi-modal Carrier FLEET Tool: 

Getting Started Guide 

Part 1 
Multi-modal Carrier FLEET Tool: 

Getting Started Guide 

Part 1 

Transportation and Climate Division 

Office of Transportation and Air Quality 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

Office of Transportation and Air Quality 

EPA-420-B-12-024

March 2012 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Introduction to Part I: GETTING STARTED GUIDE
 

This guide is Part 1 of a three part series to help multi-modal carriers participate in the SmartWay 

Transport Partnership. 

In this guide you will learn about: 

1) Basic Information about SmartWay
 

2) Joining SmartWay Transport Partnership as a Multi-modal Carrier
 

3) Deciding which SmartWay accounting tool(s) are right for your company;
 

4) Understanding the details of the SmartWay partnership agreement; and
 

5) Meeting software/hardware requirements for participating in the program.
 

Please review this guide carefully BEFORE attempting to gather your fleet data, or enter data into the 

Multi-modal Carrier FLEET tool or enter data. Understanding the basics of the program, reviewing the 

partnership agreement and making sure your fleets fit the criteria for joining SmartWay as a Multimodal Carrier will save a great deal of time and simplify your joining process. 

If you wish to explore the data requirements for multi-modal carriers, please review “Part 2: Data 

Collection Overview and Workbook.” 

If you wish to explore the Multi-modal Carrier FLEET tool in preparation for joining the program, 

please review “Part 3: Data Entry Guide” and return to this workbook to prepare for gathering your 

data. 

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1. Basic Information about SmartWay
 

Launched in 2004, SmartWay® is a United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) program that 

reduces transportation-related emissions and costs by creating incentives to improve supply chain fuel 

efficiency. 

SmartWay is comprised of five components: 

•	 SmartWay Transport Partnership: A partnership in which freight companies join and commit to 

benchmark operations, track fuel consumption and improve performance annually. 

•	 SmartWay Technology Program: A testing, verification, and designation program to help freight 

companies identify equipment, technologies and strategies that save fuel and lower emissions. 

•	 SmartWay Finance Program: A competitive grant program that makes investing in fuel-saving 

equipment easier for freight carriers. 

•	 SmartWay International Interests: Guidance and resources for countries seeking to develop 

freight sustainability programs modeled after SmartWay. 

•	 SmartWay Vehicles: A program that ranks light-duty cars and small trucks and identifies very 

high performers with the SmartWay logo. 

About the Partnership 

The SmartWay Transport Partnership is a public/private collaboration between the EPA and the freight 

industry to improve fuel efficiency, increase environmental performance, and encourage supply chain 

sustainability. 

How the SmartWay Transport Partnership Works 

Five types of freight transport companies can join SmartWay: 

•	 Freight shippers 

•	 Logistics companies (including 3PLs/4PLs1

) 

•	 Truck carriers 

•	 Rail carriers 

•	 Multi-modal carriers 

Participating companies: 

•	 assess freight operations, 

•	 calculate fuel consumption and carbon footprint, and 

•	 track fuel-efficiency and emission reductions annually. 

SmartWay ranks partners’ performance and recognizes superior performance with access to the 

SmartWay Partner Logo. 

1 3PLs/4PLs Third party logistics/fourth party logistics companies. 

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2. Joining the SmartWay Transport Partnership as a Multi-modal 

Carrier 

Multi-modal carriers that join the SmartWay Transport Partnership are known as “SmartWay Multimodal Carriers.” 

Participation in SmartWay helps SmartWay Multi-modal Carriers: 

•	 identify opportunities to improve efficiency, 

•	 demonstrate efficiency to potential customers, and 

•	 reduce fuel costs. 

All SmartWay Multi-modal Carriers agree to complete and submit the SmartWay Multi-modal Carrier 

Fleet Efficiency and Emissions Tracking System (Multi-modal Carrier FLEET) tool to: 

•	 define fleet(s) composition, 

•	 characterize fleet activity, 

•	 individually benchmark multiple divisions and/or fleets, and 

•	 track annual changes in performance. 

SmartWay Multi-modal Carriers also agree to follow the guidelines in the Carrier Partnership Agreement 

(A copy of the agreement is included in this document on page 6 and is also included in the Multi-modal 

Carrier FLEET tool.) 

Upon approval of a Multi-modal Carrier FLEET tool submission, multi-modal carriers will be identified as 

SmartWay Multi-modal Carriers on EPA’s website on the “SmartWay Partner List” and in a database 

used by freight shippers to identify companies that meet SmartWay’s annual requirements. 

SmartWay Multi-modal Carriers that meet SmartWay’s logo criteria are allowed to use the SmartWay 

Partner Logo on marketing and promotional materials. 

SmartWay Multi-modal Carriers that meet the highest standards of environmental and fuel-efficiency 

performance are eligible to receive the SmartWay Excellence Award. 

Before you can join SmartWay as a SmartWay Multi-modal Carrier, you will need to: 

1.	 Choose the right tool for your fleet(s) 

2.	 Review the SmartWay Carrier Partnership Agreement; and 

3.	 Review the software and hardware requirements to use the SmartWay Multi-modal Carrier 

FLEET Tool. 

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3. Choosing the Right Tool for Your Fleet(s)
 

SmartWay provides three tools for truck carriers—The Truck Carrier FLEET Tool, the Logistics Partner 

FLEET Tool, and the Multi-modal Carrier FLEET Tool. 

To characterize your operations in the SmartWay program, you must create a profile for each 

fleet/division that you operate. In some cases, if you have multiple fleets/divisions, you may need to 

use multiple tools. Use the questions below to determine which type of fleet/division you are 

characterizing and which tool you should use. 

For-hire truck carriers and private truck carriers should use the Truck Carrier FLEET Tool. 

You are a for-hire truck carrier if: 

 Freight shippers hire/contract with you to haul their goods 

 At least 95% of your mileage is via trucks you own/control 

 Less than 5% of your mileage is via trucks operated by contractors 

 Less than 5% of your mileage is via other modes (e.g., rail, air or marine) 

You are a private truck carrier if: 

 You are a shipper that operates your own private trucking fleet that is NOT available for hire by other 

companies 

 At least 95% of your mileage is via trucks you own/control 

 Less than 5% of your mileage is via trucks operated by contractors 

 Less than 5% of your mileage is via other modes (e.g., rail, air or marine) 

If you manage a dedicated truck fleet for another company along with a for-hire fleet, complete the Truck Carrier 

Tool for your company, assess your for-hire fleet, and separately assess the private fleet as part of your company’s 

submission. 

Logistics Partners should use the Logistics Partner FLEET Tool to participate. 

This category includes logistics companies, third-party logistics providers, fourth-party logistics providers, freight 

forwarders and non-asset based carriers. 

You are a Logistics company if: 

 Freight shippers hire/contract with you to haul their goods 

 Less than 5% of your mileage is via trucks you own/control 

 More than 5% of your mileage is via trucks operated by contractors 

 Less than 5% of your mileage is via other modes (e.g., rail, air or marine) 

Special Consideration: If more than 5% of your mileage is via trucks you own/control (e.g., your private fleet), but 

you don’t meet the definition of a Truck Carrier, you are still considered a logistics company. To participate in 

SmartWay, you must use the Truck Carrier tools to assess your private fleet, and then enter those results into the 

Logistics Partner Tool along with the data from the other fleets you contract with. 

Multi-modal carriers should use the Multi-modal Carrier FLEET tool. 

You are a Multi-modal Carrier if: 

 Freight shippers hire/contract with you to haul their goods 

 More than 5% of your mileage is via trucks you own/control 

 You contract with a mix of truck, rail, air, and marine carriers to move the remaining 95% or more of your 

mileage 

If you fall into the Multi-modal or Logistics categories, please note that these tools contains carrier-specific 

performance data for Class 1 rail carriers, but default averages data for other rail carriers. Performance values for 

air and marine modes will be included in later versions of these SmartWay Tools. 

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4. Reviewing the SmartWay Carrier Partnership Agreement
 

To join the SmartWay Transport Partnership as a Multi-modal Carrier, you must agree to the language 

on the “Partnership Agreement for Carriers.” When you begin working within the tool, you will be asked 

to check a box stating that you agree to the terms of the partnership agreement. This agreement must 

be renewed annually. 

Please review this language with the appropriate personnel within your organization before completing 

or submitting a FLEET tool to EPA. 

Partnership Agreement for Carriers 

With this agreement, your company joins EPA’s SmartWay Transport Partnership and 

commits to: 

1.	 Measure and report to EPA on an annual basis the environmental performance of your 

fleet(s) using EPA's SmartWay tool. (Existing fleets must report the 12 months of data for 

the prior year ending December 31. Newly formed companies require a minimum of 3 

months of operational data.) 

2.	 Have performance results posted on the EPA SmartWay website/database. 

3.	 Agree to submit supporting documentation to EPA for any data used to complete this tool 

and agree to EPA audit of this data upon request by EPA. 

In return, EPA commits to: 

1.	 Promote company participation in the Partnership by posting Partner names on the EPA 

SmartWay Website and in related educational, promotional, and media materials. EPA will 

obtain express written consent from the Partner before using the Partner’s name other than in 

the context of increasing public awareness of its participation as described here. 

2.	 Provide companies with industry-wide performance benchmark data as this data becomes 

available to EPA.2 

3.	 Assist Partners in achieving emission and fuel usage reduction goals (subject to Federal 

Government Appropriations).
 

General Terms 

1.	 If the Partner or EPA defaults upon this agreement at any point, the agreement shall be 

considered null and void. 

2.	 Either party can terminate the agreement at any time without prior notification or penalties or 

any further obligation. 

3.	 EPA agrees not to comment publicly regarding the withdrawal of specific partners. 

4.	 EPA reserves the right to suspend or revoke Partner status for any Partner that fails to 

accomplish the specific actions to which it committed in the SmartWay Transport Partnership 

Agreement and subsequent Agreements. 

5.	 The Partner agrees that it will not claim or imply that its participation in the SmartWay 

Transport Partnership constitutes EPA approval or endorsement of anything other than the 

Partner’s commitment to the program. The Partner will not make statements or imply that EPA 

endorses the purchase or sale of the Partner’s products and services or the views of the 

organization 

6.	 Submittal of this SmartWay Tool constitutes agreement to all terms in this Partnership
 

Agreement. No separate agreement need be submitted.
 

2 Individual corporate data will be treated as confidential business information. 

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5. Reviewing the Software and Hardware Requirements to Use the 

SmartWay Multi-modal Carrier FLEET Tool 

The SmartWay Multi-modal Carrier FLEET tool is designed in Microsoft Excel Forms and requires the 

following software and hardware: 

•	 A 2003 or later version of Microsoft Excel 

•	 Excel security level set at Medium or lower 

•	 A PC running Windows XP or newer operating system, or a Mac that is running the 

Windows XP operating system The tool does not currently work using the Mac 

operating system 

•	 A minimum of 5 megabytes of free disk space. More disk space may be required based 

on the number of fleets you define in your tool 

•	 Adequate memory (RAM) to run Microsoft Office 

•	 A monitor resolution of at least 1,024 x 7683 

Please check the user’s guides for your computer, online support, or your company’s IT department to 

make sure your system is set up to use the Multi-modal Carrier FLEET tool. 

We encourage you to make sure that you virus software is up to date, and scan your PC before putting 

data in the Multi-modal Carrier Tool. 

3 The tool will also work at 800 x 600 resolution, but many of the screens will appear with scroll bars. 

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6. Next Steps
 

Now that you understand the basics of the SmartWay program and the SmartWay Multi-modal Carrier’s 

role in the program, are clear about which SmartWay FLEET tool(s) are right for your company, and 

understand the software and hardware required to participate, it’s time to start gathering data about 

each of your fleets. 

If you are ready to characterize your for-hire or private truck fleet, please visit 

http://www.epa.gov/smartwaylogistics/partnership/multimodal.htm to download Part 2- Multi-modal 

Carrier FLEET Data Collection Overview and Workbook. 

If you have determined that all or part of your operations require completion of the Logistics Carrier 

FLEET tool or the Multi-modal Carrier FLEET tool, you will find resources for gathering data for these 

fleets on the www.epa.gov/smartwaylogistics/partnership/logistics.htm web page or the 

www.epa.gov/smartwaylogistics/partnership/multimodal.htm web page, respectively. 

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